Tuesday, April 14, 2015

LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS (Dusty Tucker, Gnaeus, And The Pixo Control), And The Passing Of Mike Case

Before we begin today's post, I wanted to offer our deepest condolences to the family & friends of Mike Case, a fixture of the local music scene who passed away on Sunday after a lengthy battle with cancer. Local news sites will have more information, including on services when available. An inductee of both The Great Northern Opry & The Northern Ontario Country Music Hall of Fame from his work with local bands like White Stallion, Mike was the founder of local music store Case's Music, and he was instrumental in their music lesson programs and youth camps, helping teach many aspiring musicians there and previously at Arnill's Music for decades. I didn't know Mike personally, but by all accounts, he was a kind, helpful, and intelligent presence for musicians old and new alike, a proud supporter of local business, and a talented musician in his own right. Even after falling ill and ceding control of Case's Music to his nephew Jay in 2010, Mike's influence continued to be seen from who he taught, including via his youth all-star bands of the early 2010s.

I remember seeing Mike, visibly having trouble walking, still there on stage at Toystock last November helping his Junior All Stars through their set on the big stage at The Canadian, and his passion for music and helping the next generation was clear as day even then. Our thoughts are with Mike's family (including his children T.J. and Vanessa) and his many friends at this difficult time. Rest in peace, Mike, you will be missed!

Now, the rest of today's post is devoted to LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS, all with two common bands in their lineups, so here's what you should know in chronological order! We'll start on Friday, May 8th with a concert event featuring 4 local bands rocking The Rednecks Saloon that promoters are calling "Redneck Rock"! A reunion of sorts from last month's VM Radio Battle of the Bands, this show will see winners Gnaeus and runners-up The Bear Hunters take the stage alongside semifinalists Project 421 and The Danger Cats, which is somewhat notable as being the first show at this venue for all but The Bear Hunters, so keep that angle in mind as well! As of this writing, the performance order is not yet confirmed, but each band will play 45 minute sets. Promoted by Mourning Wood's Steven Flint & Terry Eaton (who are also providing sound with Twin City Entertainment), this 19+ show will kick off at 10:00 PM.

As for Redneck Rock tickets, they are available through the bands only (not promoters, oddly) for $5, but the entry fee will jump to $7 at the door. For more details, visit the above links! This should be an interesting show, especially for fans of the VM Radio Battle and these four talented bands, and I wonder if we'll see more multi-band concerts like this from Terry & Steven to come? Watch out for more details as we approach May 8th!

Next up, we'll head to The New American Pub on Monday, June 1st, where the aforementioned Gnaeus & The Danger Cats will join local alternative hard rock trio The Pixo Control as openers for Edmonton psychedelic/garage rock quartet The Archaics! Fans may remember The Archaics from headlining at The New A last July (a show that The Danger Cats also opened) as well as from Das Bunkerfest, and while their sound isn't "heavy" so to speak, they have a fun old school garage sound that fans should take to once again! Solid local contingent opening this show too, with The Pixo Control & Gnaeus' skilled originals a nice compliment in their own New A debuts, so don't miss any of the local opening action on June 1st! Promoted by Oh! Right Arm! Promotions (though they oddly didn't create the Facebook event page), this 19+ concert has a 9:00 PM start time, and there's a $5 cover charge. See above and stay tuned for more details, this should be a good show!

Finally for today's new show announcements is our first confirmed heavier/punk show of the fall, as Red Deer, Alberta southern hard rock quintet Dusty Tucker will make their local concert debut on Wednesday, October 8th at The Rednecks Saloon! Delivering an aggressive and energetic blend of southern rock and metal, Dusty Tucker should deliver a great stage show this fall, and be sure to check them out in the interim! Once again, local support will come via the aforementioned Gnaeus (who will actually be in the headlining slot, likely due to Dusty Tucker's scheduling commitments) and The Danger Cats, while one more local band is to be announced. For what it's worth, this show comes after Danger Cats frontwoman Kate Kougar's teased move to London in August, but it's not clear yet what impact that will have on this show, if any. A rare non-Bear Hunters concert promoted by Mitch Sirie, this 19+ event will reportedly have a 9:00 PM start time and NO COVER!

That plus the 6 months advance notice is all the more reason to make sure you check this show out, and for more details, visit the official Facebook event page! While it is a little odd to see so many three shows featuring Gnaeus & The Danger Cats announced in such close proximity, all have their own high merits and entertainment value to come, so be sure to check out each over the coming months! That's all for today, but stay tuned for more news and updates this week! Thanks everyone!